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Overview

Seco de Pollo

Seco de gallina, Ecuadorian chicken stew

This seco de pollo recipe is the Ecuadorian coastal chicken stew: drumsticks browned, then braised slowly in a blended sauce of tomato, naranjilla, beer, onion, pepper and herbs until the meat is falling off the bone. One serving is about 743 g — chicken and sauce with rice, avocado, boiled potato and plantain — and carries about 858 calories. It is the comfort food of Ecuador’s coast, served on one generous plate.

Seco is the stew of Ecuador’s coast, and seco de pollo is its chicken version: meat cooked slowly in a sauce until it is tender enough to fall off the bone, then served with rice and whatever the coast has — avocado, potato, plantain and a small salad. The sauce is what makes it Ecuadorian: tomato blended with naranjilla, the tart orange fruit of the Andes, plus beer, onion, pepper and herbs. It is home cooking and restaurant cooking at once, the plate Ecuadorian families cook for Sunday lunch.

Pairs well with: White rice, avocado, boiled potato and plantain

Provenance

Ecuador flag Ecuador

Ecuadorian Coastal Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 15m

20m prep • 55m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

858 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 743 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Slow Braise)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

High Protein Occasions: Sunday lunches, family dinners, comfort-food suppers, coastal celebrations Cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Chicken Savory Rich High-protein Braised
Ecuadorian seco de pollo with a chicken drumstick in orange tomato sauce, a dome of white rice, avocado, lettuce and boiled potato on a white plate

Ecuadorian Coastal Classic

Photo: Maryte Peralta, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

A good seco de pollo has chicken that falls off the bone, a sauce thick enough to coat the rice, and a plate with something creamy, something starchy and something fresh.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 15m
P

Prep Stage: Blend, Boil & Chop

20 Mins • Blending & Boiling

Put the rice, potatoes and plantains on to cook first — they take care of themselves while the chicken braises. While they cook, blend the sauce, chop the cilantro and slice the avocado just before serving so it does not brown.

Maestro Tip: Start the rice and potatoes before you touch the chicken: the stew needs 40 minutes, and the sides should be ready at the same moment.

  1. 1

    Brown the chicken

    10 Mins Medium-high heat, about 190°C (375°F)

    Season the drumsticks with 3g of the salt and the cumin. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot and brown the drumsticks in a single layer for 4–5 minutes per side until deep golden. The colour here is flavour — pale chicken makes a pale sauce. Lift the drumsticks out and set aside.

    Do not crowd the pot: chicken that steams instead of browning never gets the golden crust the sauce needs.

    Done when: Drumsticks deep golden on all sides.

  2. 2

    Blend the tomato-naranjilla sauce

    5 Mins No heat

    Put the onion, tomatoes, naranjilla pulp, bell pepper, garlic, beer and achiote paste in a blender and blend until smooth. This is the heart of the dish — the Ecuadorian coastal version is built on tomato and naranjilla, not on the green cilantro sauce of the Peruvian seco.

    Blend it longer than you think: any chunk left in the blender shows up as a lump in the finished sauce.

    Done when: Smooth, orange-red sauce with no visible chunks.

  3. 3

    Braise the chicken in the sauce

    35 Mins Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)

    Pour the sauce into the same pot, scraping up the browned bits from the base. Return the drumsticks, add the diced carrot and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 30–35 minutes until the chicken is tender and the thickest part reads 74°C (165°F) on a thermometer. Stir in the peas for the last 5 minutes. Taste and add the remaining salt.

    A gentle simmer keeps the chicken juicy; a hard boil makes it stringy and the sauce thin.

    Done when: Chicken tender and falling off the bone; sauce thick enough to coat a spoon.

  4. 4

    Cook the rice, potato and plantain

    20 Mins Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)

    While the chicken braises, cook the rice until fluffy, boil the potatoes whole until tender, and boil the plantain chunks for 10 minutes until soft and sweet. Keep everything hot — a seco plate is served steaming.

    Boil the plantain in its skin if you like: it holds together better and peels easily once cooked.

    Done when: Rice fluffy, potatoes tender through, plantain soft and sweet.

  5. 5

    Plate the seco

    5 Mins Serve hot, above 63°C (145°F)

    Mould a dome of hot rice on each plate. Set two drumsticks beside it, spoon the sauce over the chicken and the rice, and add the boiled potato, plantain, avocado slices and shredded lettuce. Scatter the chopped cilantro over the top and serve at once.

    Plate it fast: the sauce sets as it cools, so it should reach the table while it still pours.

    Done when: Hot plates, golden sauce, rice steaming, avocado bright on top.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve each plate hot, with the sauce spooned over the chicken and rice. Eat the avocado and salad between bites of the rich stew — they are part of the dish, not decoration.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

858

kcal / serving

Protein

41g

Complete AA

Carbs

100g

Complex

Fats

33g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 743 g)
Energy858 kcal
Protein41 g
Carbohydrates100 g
Fat33 g
Fibre11.5 g
Sugar16.7 g
Sodium666 mg
Per 100g
Energy115 kcal
Protein5.5 g
Carbohydrates13.4 g
Fat4.4 g
Fibre1.5 g
Sugar2.2 g
Sodium90 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Chicken provides protein, vitamin B12, niacin and selenium; tomato and pepper add vitamin C and vitamin A; avocado brings potassium and vitamin E; potato and plantain add potassium and vitamin B6. All nutrition values are estimated.

High-Protein Lunch

With about 40.8 g of protein per serving, one plate of seco de pollo is a proper lunch that keeps you full for hours.

Chicken Brings B12 and Selenium

The drumsticks give each serving vitamin B12, niacin and selenium, alongside the protein.

Avocado and Plantain Add Potassium

The avocado, potato and plantain on the plate add potassium, vitamin B6 and fibre, and turn the stew into a complete meal.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

White Rice

The rice is not optional: it soaks up the rich tomato-naranjilla sauce and turns the stew into a complete plate.

Vegetables

Avocado Slices

Cool, creamy avocado is the calm contrast to the warm, tangy sauce — it is on every coastal seco plate for a reason.

Boiled Potato and Plantain

The plain boiled potato and sweet plantain give the plate two starches that balance the sauce’s acidity.

Drinks

Fresh Fruit Juice

A cold glass of passion-fruit or naranjilla juice echoes the sauce’s tart fruit note and cools the plate.

Full Menus

Full Menu: Ceviche, Then Seco

Start with a light ceviche, then the seco de pollo — cold and sharp first, then warm, rich and filling.

Complete menu

Serve seco de pollo with white rice, avocado, boiled potato and plantain, then finish with fresh fruit and a cup of coffee.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Boiling the Stew Hard

A hard boil makes the chicken stringy and thins the sauce. Keep it at a gentle simmer and the meat stays tender. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Slicing the Avocado Too Early

Cut avocado browns in the air within minutes. Slice it just before plating, or brush it with a little lime juice. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA satisfying lunch for most adults; one full plate is a generous portion.
  • ChildrenChildren love the tender chicken and rice — take the meat off the bone for small children.
  • ElderlySoft, tender chicken that is easy to chew; serve warm, not hot, with the potato mashed if needed.
  • Pregnant womenFine in moderation; the chicken is cooked through to 74°C (165°F) — ask your clinician if you are watching salt.
  • Breastfeeding womenAn energy-rich lunch; the chicken and rice give lasting energy between feeds.
  • AthletesHigh in protein and carbohydrate, so it suits a heavy training day better than a rest day.
  • Weight gainEnergy-dense at about 858 kcal a serving, so it fits a higher-energy day.
  • Weight lossA large, energy-dense plate; take half the rice and one drumstick, with extra salad.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 99.5 g of carbohydrate and 16.7 g of sugar per serving, mostly from rice, potato and plantain; half the rice is the lighter choice, and ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureAbout 666 mg of sodium per serving; ask your clinician if you are on a low-sodium plan.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein with potassium from potato and plantain; ask your clinician whether this portion suits your plan.
  • GoutChicken is a lower-purine choice than red meat, but the portion is large; ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesA rich, saucy stew that can feel heavy; eat slowly and keep to one drumstick if your stomach is sensitive, and ask your clinician if it keeps bothering you.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseHigh in energy and fat from the chicken skin; remove the skin before eating for a lighter plate, and ask your clinician about the right portion for you.
  • Fatty liverEnergy-dense with a large starch portion; half the rice and potato is the lighter way to enjoy it — ask your clinician about the right portion for you.
  • Food allergiesContains chicken; the sauce is gluten-free and dairy-free — if you have a food allergy, ask your clinician whether it is safe for you.
  • Special therapeutic dietsFollow your clinician’s guidance on carbohydrate and portion sizes; this is general information, not medical advice.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool completely, then store the stew, rice, potato, plantain and avocado in separate sealed containers.
In the fridge
Up to 3 days at 4°C (40°F) or below; keep the avocado and salad separate and slice fresh avocado when serving.
In the freezer
Freeze the stew and chicken without the rice, potato, plantain or avocado for up to 2 months at -18°C (0°F).
How to reheat
Reheat the stew gently in a pot over low heat, stirring often, until steaming and 74°C (165°F) throughout; add a splash of water if it has thickened too much.
Freezing recommended
Partly — freeze the stew only; cook fresh rice and boil fresh potato and plantain when you reheat.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or off smell, slimy chicken, or any mould — throw it away.

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